Jan 16, 2025 City Council A Session

[ PROCEDURAL  ]

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>> MAYOR >> GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS NOW 9:07 A.M. AND CITY COUNCIL A SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?

>> KAUR: THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK. WE'RE GOING TO START OFF TODAY'S SESSION WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR BELOVED SPURS LADY, ALSO KNOWN AS SYLVIA. IF EVERYONE WILL JOIN US IN CLOSING YOUR EYES AND DOING A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HER MEMORY.

>> KAUR: WE'LL NOW BEGIN WITH OUR INVOCATION. I'LL HAND IT OVER TO

COUNCILMEMBER MARC WHYTE TO INTRODUCE OUR INVOCATOR. >> WHYTE: IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TODAY TO WELCOME FATHER KEVIN SHANAHAN. FATHER KEVIN SHANAHAN WAS BORN IN IRELAND. HE HAS BEEN A PRIEST FOR 38 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE MISSIONARIES OF SACRED HEART. HIS MINISTRY HAS TAKEN HIM ACROSS EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES . AFTER HE WAS ORDAINED IN 1986, HE SERVED AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR IN LONDON FOR THREE YEARS FOLLOWED BY SIX YEARS IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND. IN 1995 HE ARRIVED IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A TWO-YEAR STUDY SABBATICAL WHICH HE EARNED HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN THEOLOGY. HE ALSO PURSUED STUDIES IN COUNSELING AT THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE AND RELIGION AND COMPLETED THE PROGRAM IN MEDICAL ETHICS AT ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY. HE SERVED AS A FULL-TIME HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN FOR SIX YEARS. IN 2003, FATHER KEVIN RETURNED TO SAN ANTONIO AND WAS APPOINTED PASTOR OF ST. ANTHONY DE PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH.

FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS, HE HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF THIS COMMUNITY, DEDICATING HIMSELF TO THE PARISH'S GROWTH AND SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP.

IN HIS FREE TIME, HE ENJOYS H WATCHING RUGBY AND HAS A DEEP PASSION FOR READING ABOUT WORLD HISTORY. FATHER KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITE TO BE HERE WITH YOU . LET US BOW OUR HEADS.

GOD OF EVERLASTING FAITHFULNESS, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW YEAR, WE ASK YOUR BLESSING ON THIS OUR CITY COUNCIL. WE ASK THAT THIS YEAR BE A TIME OF NEW VENTURES AND TO SERVE YOUR PEOPLE. GUIDE THIS COUNCIL WITH YOUR SPIRIT THAT THEY MAY MAKE DECISIONS THAT PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF THOSE THEY SERVE. SHOW THEM THE DIRECTION YOU WOULD HAVE THEM TAKE.

GIVE EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CLARITY OF MIND AND HEART SO THEY CAN SEE YOUR SPIRIT AT WORK IN THEIR MIDST. BRING A SENSE OF PEACE AND QUIET TO EACH MEMBER SO THAT EACH CAN LISTEN TO THAT STILL, SMALL VOICE WITHIN THEM THAT IS YOU.

WE AS A CITY THANK YOU FOR THE TASK WITH WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED THIS CITY COUNCIL. WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS

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REFRESH THEIR SPIRIT WHEN THEY NEED TO BE RESTORED TO DO THE WORK AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. LORD OF ALL, GIVE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL COURAGE TO FOLLOW NOBLE ASPIRATIONS, STRENGTH TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO, INTEGRITY TO SEEK THE TRUTH, AND IN ALL THEIR CIVIC DUTIES BE THEIR INSPIRATION AND GUIDE. IN THE FATHER'S NAME WE MAKE THIS OUR PRAYER, AMEN.

>> KAUR: ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL STRAP IN. THEY GAVE US A REALLY LONG AGENDA TODAY. SO THE FIRST ITEM UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, BARRING ANY

CHANGES? >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND.

>> KAUR: WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. CAN I GET A VOTE, PLEASE? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.

[CONSENT AGENDA  ]

SO CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT -- OR DO ANY ITEMS

NEED TO BE PULLED? >> CASTILLO: ITEM 14. >> KAUR: ITEM 14 HAS BEEN PULLED. ANY OTHER ITEMS? CAN I GET AN APPROVAL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 4 THROUGH 23, BARRING ITEM 14, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED, AND

13, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> KAUR: SO WE HAVE ONE MEMBER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 16, 17, AND 18. JACK FINGER.

>> WELL, MAYOR MADAME PRO TEM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.

YES, I WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND SOON WE'LL HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT.

THOUGHT I WOULD DRESS UP PATRIOTICALLY TODAY. ANYWAY, A FEW ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA THAT YOU HAVE FOR REMAINING ON CONSENT. ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT THE ITEM NO. 16.

IT'S ABOUT -- WELL, IT'S SOME GIVEAWAYS TO THE VIA. THE VIA EMPLOYEES.

YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO WE PAY TO TRANSPORT US AROUND IN BUSES.

WELL, I NOTICED THAT ITEM 16 IS ABOUT GIVING THEM THEIR OWN FREE RIDES.

FREE RIDES AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE. YEAH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS, IF YOU CAN READ MY CHICKEN SCRATCH THERE, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN.

TRIED TO CORRECT A LITTLE MISTAKE THERE. ANYWAY, IT SAYS THERE WOULD BE NO COST. NO COST FOR THE FULL-TIME -- YEAH.

EMPLOYEES EARNING A BASE SALARY OF $40,000 OR LESS FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.

MAKING LESS THAN $19.23 AN HOUR. THEY GET A FREE RIDE AND THE REDUCED PRICE OF $30 FOR OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE EARNING A BASE SALARY GREATER THAN $40,000 THERE. $60 A MONTH FOR AN EMPLOYEE EARNING GREATER THAN $70,000. RETURN THE CAMERA, IF YOU WOULD.

SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE VIA EMPLOYEES A FREE RIDE. DO WE THE TAXPAYERS GET SUCH A FREE RIDE IF WE NEED TO COME DOWN TO CITY COUNCIL AND SPEAK OUT ON ISSUES LIKE

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THAT, FOLKS. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: TH THANK YOU, JACK.

IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON CONSENT? COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 16.

I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE CITY EMPLOYEES THE VIA EZ RIDER PROGRAM. I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS FORWARD.

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD INITIATIVE AND AS WE MOVE TOWARDS OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND OUR GOALS, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MONITORING THIS, WHETHER IN COMMITTEE OR COMING BACK TO B SESSION, ERIK, ABOUT THE RIDERSHIP AND IF THEY'RE RUNNING INTO SOME PROBLEMS BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY ROUTES NEAR THEM OR WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HELP WITH VIA SO THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES CAN USE THIS PROGRAM.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD TODAY. THANK YOU.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION?

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HIGHLIGHTING 10B.

I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE APPOINTING DAN WALLACE TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY COMMITTEE. DAN IS AN ENGAGED AND EXTREMELY VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT 7 COMMUNITY. HE SERVES ON THE LINCOLN PARK BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AFTER HIS MILITARY SERVICE HE WORKED IN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE RETIRING FROM THE STATE AFTER 25 YEARS . POST-RETIREMENT HE WENT ON TO WORK IN RECRUITMENT AT SEVERAL COLLEGES AND EVENTUALLY IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO. HIS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE MAKE HIM A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR THIS ROLE AND I HAVE EVERY BIT OF FAITH THAT HE WILL BRING VALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO THE SBEDA COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING DAN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] I ALSO HAD ONE MORE HIGHLIGHT. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT 10C, THE APPOINTING OF DEAN LEIJA TO THE SAN ANTONIO DIEZ Y SEIS COMMISSION.

DEAN IS UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY BUT I WANTED TO GIVE HIM A QUICK SHOUT OUT.

HE IS A DISTRICT 7 RESIDENT. HE SERVES ON THE LEIJA FAMILY FOUNDATION BOARD AND CO-OWNS AND OPERATES THE LEIJA BOXING AND FITNESS. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE REY FEO CONSEJO EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AND DEAN WILL BRING A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO THIS COMMISSION. I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT THIS COMMISSION COMES UP WITH THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU, DEAN FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

>> KAUR: THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON CONSENT AGENDA. THIS IS ALL THE ITEMS EXCEPT FOR 13 AND 14.

PLEASE VOTE. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES.

[14. Ordinance approving agreements with ADMT Solutions, LLC, Alamo Home Health, Inc. dba Touchstone Health, BEAT AIDS Coalition Trust, Courageous Creativity, Doin Well, LLC, Parenting Plus, Stability Staffing and Consulting, LLC, The Immunization Partnership, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and Young Women’s Christian Association of San Antonio for the City of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Health District’s Immunizations Program to provide vaccine education outreach services for $100,000 each and a cumulative amount up to $1,000,000 for terms December 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Funding is from the Immunization and Vaccines for Children grant. [Erik Walsh, City Manager; Claude A. Jacob, Director, Health]]

>> CLERK: ITEM NO. 14 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AGREEMENTS WITH ADMT SOLUTIONS, LLC, ALAMO HOME HEALTH, INC., DBA TOUCHSTONE HEALTH, BEAT AIDS COALITION TRUST, COURAGEOUS CREATIVITY, PARENTING PLUS, STABILITY STAFFING, AND CONSULTING, LLC, THE IMMUNIZATION PARTNERSHIP, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO AND THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT'S IMMUNIZATIONS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATION OUTREACH SERVICES FOR $100,000 EACH AND FOR A CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF UP TO $1 MILLION FOR TERMS DECEMBER 1, IS 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2025. FUNDING IS FROM THE

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IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINES FOR CHILDREN GRANT . >> KAUR: THANK YOU.

CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, WOULD YOU LIKE A

PRESENTATION? >> CASTILLO: NO THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

I PULLED THE ITEM FOR RECUSAL PURPOSES. >> KAUR: GREAT.

ANY OTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CAN WE ALL PLEASE VOTE? APOLOGIZE, JACK.

PLEASE COME UP. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> MADAME MAYOR PRO TEM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.

ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND I YOU WILL NOT DEPRIVE ME OF THE CHANCE TO ADDRESS OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CITY COUNCIL HERE. THIS ITEM YOU'RE GOING TO BRING UP -- I'M GLAD SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON IT.

THAT'S GOOD. BUT THE IDEA IS THAT A NUMBER OF OTHERS OF YOU NEED TO ABSTAIN ON THIS ONE AS WELL. WHY? WELL, LOOKING THROUGH THE BACK-UP DOCUMENTS, IT SEEMS THAT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED HERE HAVE -- OH, LIKE PARENTING PLUS AND YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, THEY ARE SHAREHOLDERS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS HAVE GIVEN YOU CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONTRIBUTIONS . THAT'S RIGHT, MARC.

OH, YEAH. BUT SOME OF YOU THEY HAVEN'T.

BUT A MAJORITY OF YOU THEY HAVE. AND, OH, I LIVE FOR THESE MOMENTS HERE, BY GOLLY. THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN YOU CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND SOON YOU WILL BE VOTING A CONTRACT IN THEIR FAVOR.

WELL, HERE ARE SOME OF YOU WHO SHOULD BE ACTUALLY ABSTAINING ON THIS.

AND I MUST SAY ORGANIZATIONS. WHY? BECAUSE IF Y'ALL DO THE RIGHT THING AND ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS, THIS WON'T PASS.

YES. WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAYOR -- HE'S NOT HERE. HE GOT 250 BUCKS FROM THERE. MS. KAUR, YOU GOT ZERO.

I'LL LET YOU VOTE ON THIS ONE. YEAH.

MR. MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, YOU GOT $350. MS. VIAGRAN, YOU GOT 100 BUCKS. MS. ROCHA GARCIA, YOU GOT 250.

MS. CASTILLO, YOU GOT 240. ONE OF Y'ALL IS ABSTAINING ON THIS.

MS. HAVRDA, YOU ACTUALLY GOT ZERO BUT THAT WAS ONLY WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

BEFORE THAT YOU ACTUALLY DID GET A FEW BUCKS FROM THEM THERE.

MS. GAVITO, YOU GOT 250. MR. PELAEZ, YOU GOT 500 SMACKERS THERE, HA, HA, HA.

JOHN COURAGE AND MARC WHYTE, YOU GUYS LOST OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. YOU AREN'T LOBBYING THEM OR SOMETHING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. YEAH, PRETTY DARN DUMB ORGANIZATIONS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO PASS IF Y'ALL DO THE RIGHT THING AND ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS. YEAH.

BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SAIL THROUGH FASTER THAN THOSE SANTA ANA WINDS CARRYING A FEW SPARKS THERE. WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS

HERE. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.

OKAY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IS RECUSING HERSELF FROM THIS VOTE. OKAY.

MOTION CARRIES. ERIK, DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?

>> WALSH: NO, MA'AM. >> KAUR: DO I GET THE RECORD FOR BEING THE QUICKEST CITY COUNCIL A SESSION MEETING EVER? NO, WE HAVE EXEC.

[Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]

PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072.

LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION REGARDING THE CITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ALL PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.071.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

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